Great, thanks for starting this thread, Val. I was thinking of this the other day...trying to get going for the holidays...on a very very slim budget.
A few ideas....
For my husband's grandmother who lives close by and doesn't need anything, I was going to give her "cookie of the month". Every month I'll deliver to her a batch of cookies that she can put in her freezer for when company comes over.
Decorating small or large inexpensive photo albums with batting, fabric scraps, lace, beads, etc.
I have dedicated the next few days to searching through my craft and gift books for more ideas. I'll post more as I find them.
I love your ideas for the magnet board!
Keep those ideas coming!
__________________
~Christy~
Mama to Ainsley Grace (7/01), Finley Paul and Jade Aurora (10/06)
i did the scavenged and dollar store jars with nice lids and then bought sea salt and epson salt and peppermint oil and red food coloring and layered the two salts in the jars for a peppermint looking bath salts... it made the house smell so good for at least a week and my gift receivers loved their gifts.
We did bath salts last year too. We actually used a recipie in Family Fun magazine that they later warned people not to use because the "fizz" in it was causing bottles to explode!
We made Peach Fizz Bath salts (they did cherry cola or something and put them in pop bottles). I had peach fragrance oil, so we improvised. I had a case of pint jars that the previous owner of my house had left, so we used those. I don't know how many people used them, but my aunt absolutely loved them!
I can't remember the recipie exactly, but I know it had epsom salts, baking soda, citric acid, and powdered milk. We happened to have all but the citric acid around the house, and I picked that up at my co-op for fairly cheap.
Then, I made some hot chocolate mix. (My friend had given me two 4 lb. boxes of powdered milk because they were purging their house of dairy products!). I think food gifts are good for on the cheap giving, especially if you tend to have a well-stocked pantry. One year, I made challah loaves with poppy seeds or sesame seeds and gave those away. They look fancy, so everyone is impressed, but they're really pretty easy!
Location: When I dare to be powerful -- to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.
Posts: 9,813
bumping for inspiration...
I found the coolest cedar 4X4 yesterday... it was pricy, but my dad picked it up for me because he wants some of what I am making with them.
I am making cedar candle holders. If you take a 4X4 and cut it to 4", 7", and 9" and then drill and 1 1/2" circle in the top 1" deep, you have the perfect tea light candle holder. Find a pretty peice of cedar and seal it (my spelling is in the trash today... please don't let me know how bad it is... after my coffee I will be embarassed anyhow...) with bees wax or linseed oil (when I asked dad if that was safe he said "Well honey if you are looking for 'Safe = Not Famable' I suggest not using wood." lol...) and then put a few colored tea lights in a homemade fabric bag and you have a cool gift!
This may be hard to see in your minds eye... so I will post pictures when I have one set done... Hopefully soon... Christy and I are getting together today to get the other stuff for the rest of our projects. She had some awsome ideas to add to the magnet boards... I need to get her to post them.
I did beeswax candles and soap for extended family last year. That was fun. This year I am doing chocolate covered pretzels for the men and velvet scarves for the women. The scarves only cost $1 or so each for me to make.
For the kids, the only gift I am making is a checker board. They aren't getting much, a few games and art supplies. They don't play with what they have now, they don't need more.
I'm trying to compose a nice letter asking relatives not to buy them toys (especially since I take them to goodwill! They buy crap) and instead buy them homeschool supplies or museum memberships.
__________________
Allison
mama to Ara, Simone, and Zarin
This is our Christmas letter. Please don't judge me for what's on the list .
I am looking for the Peach Fizz bath salts recipe!
Dear Family,
Once again, Christmas is drawing near! We are very excited here; the boys are already counting down the days. As usual, I am sending out a list of things the kids would like. Because we have so many toys already, I again make the request that if you feel the need to give something, please consider some way to share memories with the boys. Plans for an afternoon spent baking (and eating) cookies, at the movies, a park, museum, even McDonalds, videos of you reading a book, singing songs, etc., CDs of music, your own or some you think they would enjoy (downloaded is fine). Liam and Molly especially love listening to music and dancing. Items do not have to be new for our kids to enjoy them, and there are some items we would enjoy that might seem unusual to give as gifts, but, what the heck? (See Crafting supplies). Something made just for them would be precious. Of course, if you want to buy something, we have compiled a pretty lengthy list of ¡§wants.¡¨ And, as usual, please don¡¦t feel that by receiving this email that means we expect you to buy our kids gifts!
General:
Melissa & Doug toys, Plan toys, HABA toys(any of their puzzles, playfood, musical instruments, games, anything!)
Dress up clothes(we have some stuff, so you might want to ask)
Small trampoline w/handle
Leap Pad books (we have: Nemo, Thomas, Spongebob, a couple of phonics ones with the LeapFrog family)
GR Children¡¦s Museum membership
Magazine subscriptions to any of these: Wild Animal Baby, Babybug, National Geographic Kids, Ranger Rick, ZooBooks, Your Big Backyard
SureTrack Train Track Clips (www.woodentrain.com )2-3 boxes (we really need these for mental health purposes, not just mine)
Legos (we just can¡¦t get enough¡KThere are a lot of cool new sets out!)
Cardboard play blocks (we don¡¦t have enough to build a fort over the boys¡¦ heads ƒº)
Bookshelves
Playsilks any color other than blue, yellow, or green (there are a number of places online these can be found; this one is cool: www.thecolorfarm.com)
Molly:
Stacinator Deluxe diaper cover toddler size (www.stacinator.com)
LeapFrog Fridge Phonics alphabet magnets
Snowman print Jammies from Hanna Anderson, 2T (to match the boys¡¦)
Robeez , Jack and Lily ,or JoShoes size 12-18 mos. (www.robeez.com;www.jackandlily.com; contact me about JoShoes)
Crafting supplies:
Shaving cream (unscented is great, but whatever¡¦s cheap)
Soap flakes
Powdered tempera
White glue
Glycerin
Old screen (for paper-making)
Wooden paint brushes
Cheap rice and pasta shapes
Food coloring
Rubbing alcohol for coloring rice and pasta
salt
Chocolate pudding mix
Washable paints
String
Popsicle sticks
Books:
Kids¡¦ Crazy Concoctions: 50 Mysterious Mixtures for Art and Craft Fun
The Ultimate Book of Kids¡¦ Crazy Concoctions
This isn't the exact recipie I used, but I think it is pretty much the same. I gave away the issue of Family Fun that had the recipie in it, and it is no longer on the website. In fact, there is a disclaimer stating they no longer reccomend making the recipie because some bottles apparently exploded. (they used washed out pop bottles (plastic) for a Vanilla Cream Soda Fizz bath...) There's a recipie for bath fizzies here too. I used peach fragrance oil. I may have used more than the called for amount of fragrance...I can't remember. I didn't add any color--it talks about adding color, but isn't listed in the ingredients.
Old Fashoned Fizzy Bath Salts
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 citric acid
10-20 drops fragrance oil
Just mix the dry ingredients well, you may want to sift together. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of mixture to add color and fragrance. Blend well, then add back to entire mixture and mix till color and fragrance are thoroughly blended. The color in this will become somewhat darker as it dries. Place in an airtight jar. You can use anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup for a bath. Mixture "fizzes" as it hits the water and disperses much quicker than bath salts.
Fragrant Bath Fizzies
1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup citric acid
15 drops of essential oil
Food coloring, 10 drops (optional)
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add food coloring to a small amount of the mix in a separate bowl. Add colored mix to remaining mix and blend. Mist the salts with a mister enough so that the hold together but not enough to start fizzing. Pack these salts into a soap mold. Flip over ont a piece of waces paper and allow molded fizzie to dry overnight.
Location: When I dare to be powerful -- to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.
Posts: 9,813
Good idea Allison... I wish I could ever even attempt to do that...
Thanks Jody! I really want to give this a try, but I already have about 20 projects in the works... AZlthough I may add that to my list for my brothers step-DD's and Don's little sister...
So far my family is getting:
Dad and FIL (each): Painted Mug from the kids, a framed pic of the kids (black and white)
Mom and Step-MIL (each): Painted travel mug from the kids, a small set of shell candles, and a magnet board
Sister and her family: Framed pic of the kids
Ex-MIL and FIL (Alex's grandparents on Chris' side... Ain't I sweet??): a painted travel mug from Alex
MIL, uncle and Don's grandma (live together): throw quilt, magnet board for kitchen, and a DVD, and some pics of the kids that will be on the board
SIL and brother: Linseed oil cedar candle holders in a hand made batiked bag
Brothers Step Daughter (19): Mixed CD, Shell candle set
Brothers other Step Daughter (14): Mixed CD, Oragami Crane Mobile
SIL and other brother: Oragami Crane Mobile, cool old tea pot (from Goodwill) with two mixed teas in bags.
SIL (Don's little sister): Single serving tea pot (Goodwill again) with tea selections (in college... I think she will like this), Oragami Mobile, and a mixed cd
BIL (Don's 14 yr old bro): Mixed cd, and a Magnet Board made with some of the Micro machines that he sent Alex as the magnets, and a car track (hopefully I can find that fabric again) as the background.
Aunt and Uncle: Magnet Board
Cousins: I have 4 that I give gifts to... each are getting a cd in a home made cd bag...
White Elephant (which should cover everyone else): One set of Cedar Candle Holders, one Tea Pot set, and one Mobile.
Alex and Cyan are getting a newer bigger kitchen (with a stove if I can manage it... I have to make this too) They already have all the stuff they need so I am just getting one tin of little wood food from Krista for each stocking.
Alex: A set of really cool magnets, and a GameBoy SP, and a quilt for his bed.
Cyan: A beautiful Waldorf Doll she picked out two weeks ago named Ilona. I was able to trade for her, and the wonderful mama I traded with is also sending me a pattern for her clothes so I can whip some of those up as I go along. I already have a diaper bag that I made Cyan that I have saved, and she is getting two sets of CD for dolls from Monster baby. Then she is getting a set of Tree Blocks.
That's it... in fact this is my master list that you guys just saw. I have to pick up more oragami paper, and Christy and I are in the process of figuring out where to get the boards for the magnet boards... but that is all the ironing I need to do. I have the wax.. I have the wicks (somewhere, lol), I have the cedar, and the brace and bit (with which to hollow the cedar out). I have just about everything that I need, and if I don't have it, I can trade batiks for it, because I have been batiking like mad! Every one of these things are made by me except the DVD and the Gameboy (the cd's and the tea are even my own personal mixes.) I actually feel less stressed about this than I would if each one of these things cost a lot of money... and they are going to be really cool gifts!
Ahhhhh.. the joy of a 3pm cup of coffee... sorry you had to witness this guys... lol....
Love Val
Last edited by BlueRoseMama : 11-23-2004 at 07:26 PM.
I'm trying to compose a nice letter asking relatives not to buy them toys (especially since I take them to goodwill! They buy crap) and instead buy them homeschool supplies or museum memberships.
alison great idea. we will now get my BIL and SIL's families museum victoria family memberships.
my dh is so impressed with my gift choice but i had to fess up that it was an amity mama's idea.
Hi~
Just wanted to share the ideas stemming from Val's magnet board idea. Themed magnet boards...make magnets out of small lightweight objects/toys and use coordinating fabrics. Some examples:
* Racetrack/road fabric with small plastic car magnets (Val suggested micro machines)
* Leaf fabric with plastic frog, lizard, butterfly, bird, or bug magnets (I saw packages at the dollar store in toy section)
The possibilities are endless, but you can customize based on someone's interests. At Joann's we saw small wood cut outs, some prepainted and some not...hearts, flowers, butterflies, animals, etc. Buttons would also be cute. You could even use the plastic buttons that have the shank on the back, just use wire cutters and cut off the shank. (My aunt does this and glues them to her handstamped cards.)
Ainsley Grace (7/01), Finley Paul 
and 
Jody
Linear Mode
